Chemical Recycling of Acrylate and Methacrylate Photopolymer Networks: Bond Cleavage, Product Identity and Reuse

Conventional acrylate and methacrylate photopolymers derive dimensional stability from covalent crosslinking, which also obstructs melt reprocessing. Chemical recycling therefore requires either cleavable or exchangeable network chemistry, selective degradation conditions, and evidence that recovered products can re-enter a photocurable formulation without hidden accumulation of additives or by-products. This review defines a qualification framework for chemical recycling of photopolymer networks, separating bond cleavage from dissolution, product recovery from true closed-loop reuse, and reprintability from recovery of the original material state. ER-452.